Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Copycat

Step 1

Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl; stir to dissolve.

Step 2

Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve; add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic.

Step 3

Let rise at least 1/2 hour.

Step 4

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 tbsp baking soda.

Step 5

Be certain to stir often.

Step 6

After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape.

Step 7

Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet.

Step 8

Allow pretzels to rise again.

Step 9

Bake in oven at 450 for about 10 minutes or until golden.

Step 10

Brush with melted butter.

Step 11

Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt.

Step 12

Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Step 13

Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously.

Step 14

Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture.

Step 15

Notes: The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be.